Lily Daly - My baby girl

chapter 12

I did it.....

I walked into the cafeteria and found my mum sitting with the rest of her teammates. I ran up to her from behind and wrapped my arms around her neck.

"Is that a Lily Daly I can feel?" She said chuckling.
"Yep, it is!" I said confidently whilst walking around her and taking a seat on her lap.
"So how did it go then kiddo?" She asked me causing everyone around us to listen in,
"I guess I get my skills from mill because I am in the U16s squad!" I said excitedly earning myself a cheer from everyone as well as a smack across the head from my mum (not literally).
"So when are you signing your contract then?" She asked once everyone had settled down.
"Now, that's what I came to get you for." I exclaimed dragging her into an office.

After signing my contract and taking a few photos for the club's media, me and mum made our way back to the cafeteria to join her teammates. The conversation topics revolved around the upcoming match with arsenal as well as my new contract. I was excited about this new opportunity, but also nervous as my trial was only with my new coach Jaqueline and not with any of my new teammates, so I still had to face that hurdle. Midway through the conversation, I felt the need to go to the toilet, so I excused myself and made my way. After doing my business, I was standing at the sink washing my hands when a few girls who looked similar ages to me (maybe a few years older) came out of cubicles, joining me at the sinks. I made eye contact with a few of them earning me some judgy looks but none of us decided to speak until one of them broke the silence.

"You do know that the tour people's toilets are out by reception, right?" I looked at her confused but decided to continue the conversation.
"Oh I'm not on a tour," I said,
"What are you doing here then? You are obviously not a footballer" I was confused, but ok
"I am, I have just done a trial" they just laughed,
"You, a trial! Yeah right I bet you couldn't even make it into the U8s team," oh wow, what an insult haha "we are in the U14s team and we are 13 so yeah, we are really good" one of the girls added.
"Oh that's cool" I just wanted this to play out for as long as possible because at this point it just became a comedy show.
"Plus I've met some of the lionesses so I am really popular!" Another girl said.
The group of girls kept adding stuff, not giving me a chance to speak so I just stood there taking it all in (and trying not to laugh) the door swung open and I was met with the eyes of Hannah.
"Hey Mini Daly, is everything alright? You have taken a while in here." Hannah said causing the girls to have confused faces.
"Thanks for checking on me Hamps, these girls were just telling me their life stories. Did you know that they are 13 playing for the U14s?" I said adding a sarcastic tone to the later part of my sentence.
"Wait but haven't you just signed a contract for the U16s and you are 13?" She said catching onto my sarcasm.
"Yeah, I need to go and find my mum so we can get home" me and Hannah just messed around with the heads, well that was until one of the girls took it to a new level.
"Yeah Rachel is the canteen, did you know her mum is Rachel Daly?" She said asking the other girls.
"Oh, she is the girl that Rachel gave up when she was younger! No wonder she didn't want her, look at her, I bet they only signed her because Rachel is her mum" one of the girls spat out.
"That's enough," Hannah said firmly.
"Yeah who would want her as a daughter, I mean she is a rat a small scraggly unwanted dirty rodent!" Another girl said mockingly. I wanted to cry, roll up into a little ball and sob. I felt a tear trickle down my face and Hannah noticed just before yelling.
"Girls you are a disgrace! GET OUT BEFORE I GET YOU DROPPED FROM THE ACADEMY!!" She shouted. The girls pointed and laughed whilst leaving the room.
Hannah brought me close to her chest and held me tight, whilst the tears escaped from my eyes. She whispered in my ear, "let me go and get your mum" to which I replied with,
"no, I want you Hannah"

Hannah's POV

With those words being said I stayed with her. I squeezed her small frame as much as I could without crushing her. The strong sobs that came from her made my heart break into a thousand pieces. She tugged at my shirt and moved her arms to around my neck, so I hoisted up into a position where I was carrying her and her legs were wrapped around my body. I rocked her back and forth whilst attempting to get her breathing back to normal. Her head was hidden in the crook of my neck, so when I felt her breath on my neck instead of her wet tears I knew it was time to talk. I slid myself down the wall so that she would still be leaning against my chest and cuddled into me, but so I was sat down.